Do you remember the euphoria of celebrating your birthdays as a child? I still feel it as an adult.
I've always been a 'birthday paithyam'. From when I can remember, I've been crazy about my own. I would always start a countdown a month before my birthday getting all excited on how I would celebrate it. When I was young and such a brat, there used to be a rule at home. On my birthday no one was allowed to yell at me - no matter what I did do. License to do as I please!
As I sadly, despairingly,bemoaningly near the last of my 20s birthday, I want to cheer myself up by listing out my favourite birthday gifts.
1. My Barbie Doll - What do I say?I cried, I begged, I demanded. He refused, he sighed and then he capitulated. My dad's 5th Birthday gift to me. Her demise? A hilarious story by itself, that I shall recount some day.
2. Phantom Sweet Cigarettes - On numerous birthdays - my brother's gift to me. Should this have been an hint to the reckless adult I have become?
3. A pretty pink princess frock - I always longed to own a pretty pink frilly frock and be a princess.Preferably,Cinderella. Surprising, considering the tomboy that I always was. On my 8th Birthday, my maternal grandparents gifted me one which I wore to school with deep satisfaction. That day evening, a couple of boys in my class offered to bury me neck deep in sand as a birthday gift. I was ecstatic and leapt into the hole feet first. Well, what do I say? When I did get out, my no more pretty, brown and black, torn frock had to be buried away-albeit permanently. Sigh, princess ambitions? Me? Really?
4. Pride and Prejudice - A deep sigh of pleasure here. For my 15th Birthday, sick of seeing me eternally borrowing the Pride and Prejudice from our school library, Megs & Bhav gifted me my own copy. My library teacher relieved to know that other students of our school could have the opportunity to read Jane Austen had the book plastic wrapped for me as her gift. Wow.I think this figures as one of the top 3 best ever gifts I have received.
5. Poornima Aunty & Sweet Sixteen- On my 16th Birthday,the skies wept and I didn't carry an umbrella to school. My drenched birthday frock caught against a nail and tore,and my best friends' forgot that it was my birthday. I, in the typical Deepti style, sulked and ignored them all day, despite repeat apologies. Come evening, Ashu's mother calls me up and says, "Deepti, I'm sorry that my daughter forgot your birthday.Let me celebrate yours". She treats the 4 of us to Avengers and dinner with a cake. Eternally grateful to you, Aunty.
6. My classy Titan watch - Since the last 10 years, I have been using the same watch. A gift from Perima, Peripa and my sister for my 18th Birthday.
7. A library card - The bestest gift I have ever received in my life!When I was 12 or 13, my dad cancelled our membership to the local lending library after i lost three books. For my 18th Birthday, my dad gifted me my very own card to our local lending library. It was white,glossy and had my name printed on it. Wow, I really do have a dad who knows his daughter amazingly well.
8. The 5th Avenue Burger - I was in Hyderabad for my exam study leaves on my 20th Birthday. While my aunt pestered me asking,"Shall I make chola batura or vethai kozhambu or pulav for your birthday", her mother in law, my athai patti, a madisaru wearing 80 odd year old grandma, shoves a 50 Rupee note in my hand and smiles and tell me, "Kanna, onnaku antha burger naa romba pudikkumae, vangiko, en birthday gift onnaku". Awwwww.
9. My book cupboard - Sick and tired of seeing my books strewn around the house and bursting at the seams of my clothes cupoard, my dad had a book cupboard built for me to keep all my books for my 28th Birthday.What do I say but awesome?
Well the countdown to the last of the 20s begins now. Here's to hoping that I survive the two day long meetings with the bosses in Mumbai and my flight reaches Bangalore in time to celebrate my birthday with dear friends.
P.S. I think, just to make me happy, I'm going to celebrate my next five birthdays as my 29th Birthday.
I've always been a 'birthday paithyam'. From when I can remember, I've been crazy about my own. I would always start a countdown a month before my birthday getting all excited on how I would celebrate it. When I was young and such a brat, there used to be a rule at home. On my birthday no one was allowed to yell at me - no matter what I did do. License to do as I please!
As I sadly, despairingly,bemoaningly near the last of my 20s birthday, I want to cheer myself up by listing out my favourite birthday gifts.
1. My Barbie Doll - What do I say?I cried, I begged, I demanded. He refused, he sighed and then he capitulated. My dad's 5th Birthday gift to me. Her demise? A hilarious story by itself, that I shall recount some day.
2. Phantom Sweet Cigarettes - On numerous birthdays - my brother's gift to me. Should this have been an hint to the reckless adult I have become?
3. A pretty pink princess frock - I always longed to own a pretty pink frilly frock and be a princess.Preferably,Cinderella. Surprising, considering the tomboy that I always was. On my 8th Birthday, my maternal grandparents gifted me one which I wore to school with deep satisfaction. That day evening, a couple of boys in my class offered to bury me neck deep in sand as a birthday gift. I was ecstatic and leapt into the hole feet first. Well, what do I say? When I did get out, my no more pretty, brown and black, torn frock had to be buried away-albeit permanently. Sigh, princess ambitions? Me? Really?
4. Pride and Prejudice - A deep sigh of pleasure here. For my 15th Birthday, sick of seeing me eternally borrowing the Pride and Prejudice from our school library, Megs & Bhav gifted me my own copy. My library teacher relieved to know that other students of our school could have the opportunity to read Jane Austen had the book plastic wrapped for me as her gift. Wow.I think this figures as one of the top 3 best ever gifts I have received.
5. Poornima Aunty & Sweet Sixteen- On my 16th Birthday,the skies wept and I didn't carry an umbrella to school. My drenched birthday frock caught against a nail and tore,and my best friends' forgot that it was my birthday. I, in the typical Deepti style, sulked and ignored them all day, despite repeat apologies. Come evening, Ashu's mother calls me up and says, "Deepti, I'm sorry that my daughter forgot your birthday.Let me celebrate yours". She treats the 4 of us to Avengers and dinner with a cake. Eternally grateful to you, Aunty.
6. My classy Titan watch - Since the last 10 years, I have been using the same watch. A gift from Perima, Peripa and my sister for my 18th Birthday.
7. A library card - The bestest gift I have ever received in my life!When I was 12 or 13, my dad cancelled our membership to the local lending library after i lost three books. For my 18th Birthday, my dad gifted me my very own card to our local lending library. It was white,glossy and had my name printed on it. Wow, I really do have a dad who knows his daughter amazingly well.
8. The 5th Avenue Burger - I was in Hyderabad for my exam study leaves on my 20th Birthday. While my aunt pestered me asking,"Shall I make chola batura or vethai kozhambu or pulav for your birthday", her mother in law, my athai patti, a madisaru wearing 80 odd year old grandma, shoves a 50 Rupee note in my hand and smiles and tell me, "Kanna, onnaku antha burger naa romba pudikkumae, vangiko, en birthday gift onnaku". Awwwww.
9. My book cupboard - Sick and tired of seeing my books strewn around the house and bursting at the seams of my clothes cupoard, my dad had a book cupboard built for me to keep all my books for my 28th Birthday.What do I say but awesome?
Well the countdown to the last of the 20s begins now. Here's to hoping that I survive the two day long meetings with the bosses in Mumbai and my flight reaches Bangalore in time to celebrate my birthday with dear friends.
P.S. I think, just to make me happy, I'm going to celebrate my next five birthdays as my 29th Birthday.
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